Current-tap.



R. B, BENJAMIN.

CURRENT TAP.

v APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1907. 99%41 9 Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET lv IIIIIIII R. B. BENJAMIN.

CURRENT TAP. I I "APPLICATION FILED, JUNE '24, 1907. 9,419;- l Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 8HEETSSHEET 2. 73

' ef/zaa/riar R. B. BENJAMIN.

CURRENT TAP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 1907.

- Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wwwn

it err i w a is are.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIH, 9F CHIGAGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR E43 BEETS U'FACTU'BING CQMPA'NY, 0F CHICAGU, 1133111 301553,

CURRENT EM.

sac-tie Specification of Letters Era/cent.

A r v in 2:, w w.

snp lication filed June 24, 13,62 Serial Ho; 2312520.

To oil whom it my concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN BENJAMIN, a citizen oi the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful 11-11-- provements in Current-Taps,"of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that type of electric fixtures known as current taps, wherein a plug, carrying a lampreceiving socket, is provided with contacts adapted to engage the contacts of the socket into which the device is inserted, means be ing also provided for the attachment of leading-out conductors extending to an auxiliary translating device located at a distance from the current tap. Her .tofore devices of this class, as usually constructed, have been open to the objection that the insertion of the plug portion of the structure into a stationary' socket was accompiished by rotation of the device as a whole, such rotation rcsuiting in the twisting and knotting of ti: leading-out con uctors. v

The object of my invention is to provide a currenttap in the use ofwvhich the plug porrion thereof may be inserted into a stationary socket without rotating the device and thereby twisting the conductors. This object isaccoinplished by making the outer contact member of the plug rotatabie thereon and providing means for the convenient grasping of the same, so that when the device is applied to a stationary socket this rotatable outer contact member may be screwed into the socket Without rotating the device as a whole.

in the accompanying drawings I have first shown my invention embodied in a. form of device wherein the lamp carried thereby a nd the aui ziliary translating device to which the conductors extend are connected in parailel.

I have also shown a form of the device in which the lamp and auxiliary translating device are arranged in series.

in these drawings Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the parailel form of the device, the section being taken on the line i-1 of Figs. 3 and Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view of this "form of the device, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Figs. 3 and 4; Fig 3 is a bottom plan 7 seem 15 in the view looking into the lamp-receiving socket; Fig. =1 is/a cross-sectional view the section being taken on the line H of Fig Fig 5, and 7 are perspective views oi detached parts of the device; Fi 8 is a cctral tical sectional view of t .e series form of the device, the section being taken on the line 8-8; of Fig. 10; Fig. 9 is a view principally in longitudinal section, the section being taken an the line 99 of Figs. 10 and 11 Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view, the section.

being taken on the line 10 19 of Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the device looking into the lampreceiving socket; and 12 shows a partial cross-section of insulating base, the section vein; taken on the iine 32 of 4. I

Referring now to Figs. naive, in which it have illustrated icl form of the device, 15 is a base oi?- porcelain or other suitahie insn arterial. 1C:

15 has secured. upon the lower side thereof lamp-receiving shell 15, and ecured its upper side is a porcelain plug 1?. Extend i is gripped r is rims tached in perspec" 23 has anannniar poi tion rent at angle with its main D9613 portion and rounding a central circular prmectron 2 the haselfi, and has its end zi'iso bent at 'ht angle with the main h (i portion in the concerts, tion l the plug 1? i is t 2,51 up; e.v edge of which e the 1" warrlly l portion 20 i he contact shell 19.

the pate 23 is perforated terial of the ring.

for the passage of a screw 27 which secures tact 19 on theplug 17 with the receptacle 16 through the dished plate 26, plate 23 and screni 27. A bolt 28 further secures the shell 16 in place. The screw 27 also secures in place an L-shaped plate 29 (shown in per spective in Fig. 7), this plate 29 carrying a binding-screw '29 for the reception of one of the leading-out wires.

When the device is to be inserted into and connection made with a socket designedfor the reception of an incandescent electric lamp, the la nip-carrying portion of the device is not rotated. Such insertion may be made by holding the socket portion of the device in one hand and revolving the outer contact shell 19 with the other hand by grasping the collar 22' and turning the same, when the device will advance into the primary stationary socket until the head of the bolt 18 engages the center contact of the primary socket. v

A bent plate 30 (shown in perspectivein Fig. 6),.having each of its ends perforated,

is disposed within the receptacle 16 and electrically connects the bolt 18 with a screw 31 which extends through a suitable opening in the base 15 and screws into one end of an L-shaped plate 32 similar to plate 29. This plate 30 is clamped in place by a'nut 33 on'the inner end of the bolt 18. The plate is provided with a binding-screw 34 to which may be secured a second conductor, these conductors leading to a faumotor, portable lamp or other translating device located at a distance. I

The outer casing or shell 35 is'formed with an opening at one side thereof for the passage outwardly of the conductors'to the auxiliary translating device. In this opening is secured a threaded sleeve 36, into which is screwed a porcelain bushing 37. The device isthus provided with an insulated neck through which are led out the conductors. To assist these conductors in withstanding strain applied thereto which might tend to tear them loose from the binding-screws 34 and 29 I provide within the neck a clamping device comprising a ring :38 of compressible and expansible material such as rubber. This ring is compressed by the screwing into place of the insulating bushing 37. The compression of the ring in one direction tends to cause the same to expand inwardly and thereby decrease the size oi the opening therethrough, whereby the condu tors are firmly gripped by the ma To secure the outer casmg 35 n place a panof screws 35 are iniserted. through suitably threaded openings in the casing and project into recesses 16 formed 1n the base 15 and thereby prevent rotation of the casing 35 and separation of this casing fromthe base. When 1t1s desired to connect conductors with the hinding-scre'ws of the device, these screws 35 will be turned backwardly and outwardly far enough to withdraw the ends thereof from the recesses 16*, thereby permitting the casin, 35 to be slipped down over. the socketshell 16 and to be thus removed from the devi'ce. After the connections are made with the. conductors the casing will then he slipped up into place and the screws 35* will be screwed infagain so as toretain the.

parts in position.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, in which I have illustrated the form of the device in which the lamp and the auxiliary translating device and conductorsleading thereto are connected in series, a central. bolt' 39 extends through the plug 17 and base 15 and forms the center contact for the plug and the socket in the same manner as the bolt 18 in the other form of device. The outer contact 19 is not, however; electrlcally connected with the lamp-receiving shell 16,

but the latter is connected with aplate 40 by a screw 41 which secures theshell 16 to the base 15. This plate 40 is similar to the plate 29 shown in Fig. 7, and i's'providcdwith a binding-screw 42 to which will be secured one of the conductors leading to the auxiliary translating device. The other of these conductors will be secured to a binding-screw 43 which is carried by a plate 44 similar to the plate 40. This plate 44 rests upon and is held in contact with the lower end of a plate 45, similar to the plate 23 shown in Fig. 5, the upper, annular end of the plate 45 being disposed between the base 15 and the dished plate 26 as in the parallel form of the device. The outer, rotatable contact 19 on the plug 17 is engaged by the plate 26, as in the other form of the device, electrical connection being thus made be tween the plate 44, carrying the binding screw 43, and the contact member 19. A screw 46 secures the the base'15. The portion of the outer contact'member 19 which is adjacent the rubber collar 22 is unthreaded and is inclosed by a ring 47, of vulcanized fiber or the like, the function of which is to protect and insulate that portion of the shell 19 which would be exposed in case the receiving socket were of less than the usual depth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is a 1. In a current-tap, a plug of insulating material, a center contact on saidplug, a threaded contact arranged to,rotate about said plug and having its inner end turned inward, a base, a threaded shell carried by said base, a dished plate arranged between said base and said plug and having its edge plate 44 in place on' the inturned portion of sai.

oreriapping threaded contact, means for establishing elecnection between. said dished plate hreaded sneli, and binding ter= urinals in eiectrical communication with said contacts of said plug.

In a current tap, a plug, a base, a plate disposed between said base and plug, corrugated shell arranged to said plug and having its inner end inturned and engaging the outer edge of said plate, a lampreceiving device carried by said base, electrical connection between said plate and one of the contacts of said lamp-receiving device, said base being provided with depressions, binding-screws disposed Within said depressions. and a housing for said base, said housing being arranged to be movable in a direction parailel with the axis of said lamp-holdingdevice to afford access to said binding screws.

in combination, a two-part insulating structure, a plate confined between said parts, a corrugated contact ineinber arranged to rotate aboutone of said parts and ha ring a portion thereof engaging with said plate, a lamp-receiving socket carried by the other of said parts, a conducting member extending through said partsand arranged to secure said parts together and conduct current to one of the contacts of said socket, and means for making electrical connection between said plate and the other contact of said socket.

4. in a current tap, in combination, an insulating base, a lump-receiving socket carried thereby, a casing surrounding said base and socket and having one of its ends open to permit insertion of the base thereiuto, a plug, means extending through said iing and base for securing said plug and base ,Q'Qiiltl and arranged to conduct currentv to one of the contacts of said socket, a corrugated contact surroum'liug said plug. an insulating Washer surrouiulin'g said contact and closing the open end of said casing, and means for conducting current from said corrugated contact to the other contact of said socket.

7:. l'u combination. a base. a socket car pied thereby, a tubutar casing having-a portion of its body expanded to accommodate said basc,'an insulating washer closing: the larger end of said casing and made rota table, a corrugated contact secured to said Washer, a plug within said corrugated contact, said plug being expanded to form a shoulder to prevent said Washer being drawn of? said plug, a center contact on said ping in electrical connection with one of the contacts of the socket, and means for lllll ing electrical connection between said corbe rotated around i means for rugated contact and the other contact of said socket.

in combination, a'piug having a por-' tion of its body reduced. diamet corrugated contact extending around said pin an insulating Washer secured to said corrugated contact for manually revolving said corrugated contact about said plug, the reduced portion of said plug; extending through said Washer, a base, a socket carried thereb i a member extending through said plug and base for securing said plug and base together and conducting current to one of the contacts of said socket. and

making electrical connection bctween said corrugated contact and the other contact of said socket.

T. In combination, an insulating base, a

lamp-receiving shell carried thereby, a plug,

a bolt extendin hrough said base and plug for securing tnein together, a coiuiucting clamped tetween said base and plug, a screw passing; through said base for niectricaily connecting said conducting" ring and lamp-receiving shell, a second conducting ring clamped between said base and plug; in contact with said first-named ring, and an outer contact rotatably mounted on said plug-said outer contact having; its end contractcd to engage beneath said secondnanied conducting ring. whreby electrical connection is established between said rotatable outer contact and said lamp-receiving shell.

8. in combination, an insulating base, a lanrpi-ecei\'ing shell carried thereby, a. plug. a bolt extending through said base and plug; for securing them together. a conducting ring: clamped between said base and plug, said conduct-in53; ring); l axing: a downwardly extending-lug with an outuard iibent portion at its end, a screw passing; rough said base and enterino' the outwardly bout tion of the iug or said conducting ring tor electrically connecting; said hoop-receiving sheil and conducting ring, a second conducting ring clamped between said base and plug in. contactfwith said first-named ring, and an outer contact rotatably mounted on said ping, said outer contact, having cud constricted to engage beneath said lastnanied conducting-ring, whereb t.ltt'l'l'l2i connection is established between said outer contact and said lamp-receiving: shell.

' lu Witness whereof, I have'hereunto subscribed my name inthe presence of two Witnesses. 

